It's an Infernal Contraption, Dean
by WinterSky101
Summary: Castiel didn't quite understand the concept of a revolving door. Mid-season 5.


**Hi, all! I got this idea for a fic from a Tumblr post (sarcasticallysassy. tumblr . com post/49755312978/) and I couldn't help but write it! I don't own Supernatural, and nor can I actually claim ownership of the idea, but the fic is mine!**

**For a timeline, I picture this fic taking place a little before 5.16 (Dark Side of the Moon). Castiel is falling and his powers are diminishing, but he hasn't become human yet. He's still searching for God.**

* * *

When Dean got a call from Castiel, he was a little worried. Well, maybe a bit more than a little. But Castiel _never_ called him first. Or almost never. And whenever he did, it normally wasn't a good thing. It was more often "Dean, I need your help because my brothers attacked me" or "I think I found a lead on the Colt but it'll get us all killed" or… Well, you get the point. So you couldn't blame Dean for being worried when the caller ID on his cell read that it was Castiel calling. When you're fighting Hell and running from Heaven, something weird is probably going to be bad.

"Yeah, Cas? What's up?" Dean asked as he picked up the phone. There was an odd sound coming from the other end, like something spinning.

"_Dean, I seem to be…stuck,"_ Castiel replied, sounding a little embarrassed and confused. Dean frowned.

"Like, someone-trapped-you-in-a-ring-of-holy-fire stuck?"

"_No,"_ Castiel replied slowly. _"I…I was attempting to enter a building and there was a strange sort of door. I tried to enter and now I'm…stuck."_

"You're stuck in a door," Dean asked in a deadpan voice. It sounded crazy, but then again, it _was_ Cas.

"_It's an infernal contraption, Dean,"_ Castiel snapped. Dean bit his lip to keep from laughing.

"What's weird about the door?" he asked. He had a suspicion, but he wasn't sure. It seemed too weird, even for Cas.

"_It…spins,"_ Castiel replied. _"I entered it and it began to spin. I'm not sure how to get out."_

"A revolving door," Dean said seriously.

"_I suppose you could call if such," _Castiel replied. Dean tried to hold back a laugh.

"You're stuck in a revolving door. Castiel, angel of the Lord, stuck in a revolving door." By that point, Dean couldn't keep the mirth out of his voice.

"_It's not funny, Dean," _Castiel replied petulantly in a voice that was almost a whine. _"I need to know how to get out of this thing!"_

"Yeah, okay," Dean replied, fighting a laugh. "Are there people around you? Cause a grown man stuck in a revolving door" - Dean snickered and he could just _picture_ Cas's look of disdain - "would attract some stares."

"_It is late enough that there aren't many people. No one is staring," _Castiel replied. _"Is it really that strange? This door seems to be a sort of trap. How is it possible to get out of it?"_

"It's really easy," Dean replied. "You know how when you're spinning in it, there are two openings? Slow down and go through the one that leads outside."

"_But I haven't gone inside yet," _Castiel replied, sounding puzzled. Dean thought he was probably tipping his head over to the side. _"Isn't the point to enter the building?"_

"Yeah, but you'll have to go back out through the door," Dean replied. "Why were you going inside anyway?"

"_I needed directions," _Castiel replied. He sounded a little evasive. The answer didn't make sense.

"But I thought you could fly directly to wherever you wanted," Dean replied. He heard a sigh.

"_My ability to fly has not been working very well of late," _Castiel replied. He sounded tired. _"I attempted to fly directly into the church I wanted to visit, but I ended up somewhere in the nearby town. I'm not sure where the church is."_

"What town are you in?" Dean asked, grabbing the laptop.

"_I'm not sure," _Castiel replied, sounding embarrassed. Dean signed.

"Well, what's the church you want to go to?"

"_The Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary," _Castiel replied promptly. That went directly into Google; Dean had no idea what or where it was. A quick Google search told him it was in Baltimore, Maryland.

"And you have no idea where you are?" Dean asked. There was a pause.

"_I believe I'm in Maryland," _Castiel replied tentatively. Dean sighed.

"Anything a bit more specific?"

"_Could you help me out of the door first?" _Castiel asked. Dean's eyebrows shot up.

"You're still stuck in that revolving door?" he demanded. He took the embarrassed silence as a yes. "Just poof your way out!"

"_I'm not sure I understand-"_

"Fly, Cas," Dean interrupted. "Fly out of the door. It's not that hard."

"_I…"_ Castiel sighed. _"I told you my ability to fly was compromised. I need some time to, um, 'recharge my batteries,' as you would say." _For some reason, Dean pictured Cas doing air-quotes.

"Shit," he swore as the meaning of the words sank in. "It's gotten that bad?" He knew that Cas was losing his angel mojo, but he hasn't realized it had gotten that serious. "You're not able to flap around anymore?"

"_I can, um, 'flap around,'" _Castiel replied. Dean pictured air-quotes again. _"But it is exhausting and difficult. I just flew from a monastery in Thailand to some town in Maryland. I have to rest for a while before I can fly again. Even doing something as simple as leaving this infernal door could cause me to lose consciousness."_

"I didn't realize it was that bad," Dean replied, and yeah, he could be nice about it. Cas had lost everything so he could help Sam and Dean attempt to maybe stop the Apocalypse. The least Dean could do would be sympathetic.

"_I am still able to help," _Castiel replied, and he sounded almost firm about it. Like he was proving a point that was very important for some reason. _"I will be able to aid in fighting. I can still help you."_

"If you can't, that's okay," Dean replied.

"_I can help," _Castiel repeated in a firm, almost panicked voice. Dean wondered why he sounded like that. _"I can still come when you call."_

And that was when Dean realized why Castiel had been so insistent. "Cas, we're not going to abandon you if you lose your angel mojo," he said. There was a long pause. "Even if it means you're going to make a habit of getting stuck in revolving doors," Dean added, hoping a joke would relax the tension. Cas huffed.

"_Could you help me in getting _out _of this door?" _he requested grumpily. Dean laughed.

"Sure," he replied. "First, stop spinning." He waited a moment. "Have you stopped?"

"_I'm slowing down," _Castiel replied. A moment later, he added, _"I've stopped."_

"Alright," Dean replied. "Now slowly start spinning again. When you get to the opening leading outside, leave and tell me the address of the place closest to you."

"_Why?" _Castiel asked, sounding puzzled. The soft scraping noise let Dean know that he was following instructions and spinning slowly.

"Cause if you tell me where you are, I can tell you how to get to the church you want to see," Dean replied. "Why are you going there anyway?"

"_I have been visiting churches in my quest to find God," _Castiel replied. _"This basilica is one of the finest churches in the United States. I thought it was worth a try."_

"Well, I can get you there if you tell me where you are," Dean replied. There was a pause.

"_Um, the nearest stop sign says Little Patuxent Parkway," _Castiel replied. _"And the sign above the building I was just attempting to enter reads 'The Mall in Columbia,'" _he added. Dean plugged the address into Google.

"Okay, you're about twenty miles southwest of Baltimore," Dean told him, checking the map. "You're in Columbia. Do you want me to see if I can find you a bus or something that'll take you to Baltimore?"

"_I don't need a bus, thank you," _Castiel replied. _"I'll be able to fly there soon."_

"You know, if you want, you could hang with us instead of flapping around and trying to find God," Dean offered, even though he knew Castiel would turn him down.

"_I can't, Dean," _Castiel replied, big surprise. _"I must find my father. It's the only way we have left to defeat the Devil."_

"If you need us, just call," Dean replied. Castiel sighed.

"_I will," _he replied. _"Thank you, Dean."_

"No problem, Cas. See you soon."

"_I hope so," _Castiel replied before hanging up. Dean stared at his phone for a moment. To be honest, he wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry.

* * *

A few hours later, there was a flapping sound in the motel room and Dean looked up from his laptop to see Castiel make a rocky landing. Dean shot upright and went over to the angel, who looked embarrassed.

"You okay?" Dean asked, giving Castiel a hand to help him up. The angel accepted the help and straightened.

"I'm fine," Castiel replied. Almost immediately after he said the words, he swayed and would have fallen, had Dean not grabbed his arm to support him. "Perhaps I should have waited a bit longer before flying again," Cas added as he sagged in Dean's grip. Dean dragged him to the bed.

"Sit down," he commanded firmly. Castiel gratefully sank onto the bed. "Why are you here? Do you need help?"

"I just wanted to see how you were," Castiel replied. Dean shrugged, confused.

"I'm fine. Nothing's really changed since we talked on the phone a couple of hours ago." Scrambling for something to say, Dean added, "How'd the church go?"

"Not well," Castiel replied with a sigh. "I felt no sign of my Father's presence there at all. I wonder if Raphael was right. Could my Father be dead?"

"No," Dean replied, shaking his head. "No matter how much of a shithole the world is, I don't believe that God's dead. After all, someone had to bring you back, and it wasn't Lucifer. And if God is dead, who rescued me and Sammy when the Cage opened? We just appeared on a plane flying overhead, man. That's definitely divine intervention."

"It could have been angels," Castiel replied doubtfully. Dean shrugged.

"Yeah, maybe. But I still don't think that God is dead. He's out there somewhere. And you'll find Him."

Castiel sighed. "Thank you, Dean," he said softly. He attempted to get to his feet, but he fell back on the bed before he had even raised himself a foot.

"Whoa!" Dean pushed Castiel back down. "You're in no condition to be going anywhere. Stay with Sam and me for a while."

"I don't wish to be a burden," Castiel replied, his voice trailing off slightly. Dean rolled his eyes.

"You're not gonna be a freaking burden, Cas," he replied. "Hang with us for a while. It'll be fun." A smile crossed Dean's face. "Just don't get stuck in any more revolving doors."

"You're going to tease me about that for a long time, aren't you?" Castiel asked. Dean grinned.

"Oh hell yeah."


End file.
